Stemware marking system

ABSTRACT

A marking system emboding a removable stemware marking apparatus is provided. The marking apparatus may include a wire frame having a linear body portion extending from an upper section to an opposing lower section. The upper portion may form an arcuate hook defining an upper loop, while the lower portion may form a helical shape defining a lower and a base loop, wherein the loops are concentrically disposed orthogonal of the body portion. Each loop is adapted to securely engage the stem of a stemware glass so that the body portion is disposed along but offset from the stem.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims the benefit of priority of U.S. provisionalapplication No. 62/082,645, filed 21 Nov. 2014, the contents of whichare herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to beverage accessories and, moreparticularly, to a removable stemware marking system that is adapted toextend along the stem of the stemware so as to be easily identifiableand enable sufficient access to handle the stem during use.

Social events, parties, and large gatherings are often planned around adecorated theme or color scheme. The participants are offeredrefreshments in non disposable glasses; most often stemmed glasses orstemware such as wine, martini, champagne, or margarita glasses. Glassstemware is problematic to decorate because cleaning and sanitizing theglass involves temperature requirements and hot water that can damagethe decor, or compromise the adhesive used to affix the decoration tothe glass. As a result, existing solutions that use painted or decoratedglasses require hand washing as well as large amounts of storage formultiple design concepts, both of which are costly in time and money.Use of plastic glassware may be socially unaccepted, costly tocontinually replace, and environmentally unfriendly to dispose of.

Furthermore, in large gatherings people often confuse their glass withothers. This is important as one may not be willing to inadvertentlydrink from another's glass in the prevention of the spread of disease.Existing glass markers are rings that sit on the bottom of the glass andare difficult to see under the main body of the glass and on a tablewhen the glass rests under the edge of dishware or otherwise obscured byparty paraphernalia. Moreover, current stemware product designs wraparound the stem in one small area which limits and often restricts useof the stem, which obviously serves a necessary function in theconsumption of the beverage, especially for wine glasses stems.

As can be seen, there is a need for a removable stemware marking systemthat is adapted to extend along the stem of the stemware so as to beeasily identifiable and enable sufficient access to handle the stemduring use. Being removable, the present invention enables storage andthe recommended washing temperature of glass stemware that subsequentlycan be adorned with the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect of the present invention, stemware marking apparatusadapted to secure along and substantially offset from a stem of astemware glass includes a wire frame of flexible material extending froman upper end to a lower end, wherein the wire frame has a body portionextending along a longitudinal axis from an upper transition to a lowertransition; an upper section extending from the upper transition to theupper end so as to be orthogonal from the longitudinal axis; and a lowersection extending from the lower transition to the lower end; an upperloop defined by the upper section; and a lower loop defined by the lowersection, wherein the upper loop and the lower loop are generallyconcentric.

In another aspect of the present invention, stemware marking apparatusadapted to secure along and substantially offset from a stem of astemware glass includes a wire frame of flexible material extending froman upper end to a lower end, wherein the upper and lower ends are eachformed into a closing loop, and wherein the wire frame has a bodyportion extending along a longitudinal axis from an upper transition toa lower transition; an upper section extending from the upper transitionto the upper end so as to be orthogonal from the longitudinal axis; anda lower section extending from the lower transition to the lower end; anupper loop defined by the upper section formed into an arcuate shape; alower loop and a base loop defined by the lower section, wherein thelower loop and the base loop form a helical shape having at least oneand a half turns from the lower transition to a distal end of thehelical shape; a leg portion joined at an angle to the distal end of thehelical shape and extending to the lower end; and at least onedecorative bead threaded onto the wire frame, wherein the upper loop,the lower loop and the base loop are generally concentric, whereby theat least one decorative bead indentifies a user of the stemware glass.

These and other features, aspects and advantages of the presentinvention will become better understood with reference to the followingdrawings, description and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, shown in use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 4 is a section view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating the engagement of a base stem loop 16 againstthe base of a stem 34;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating the engagement of lower stem loop 18 around thestem 34; and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating the engagement of a upper loop 20 around thestem 34.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The following detailed description is of the best currently contemplatedmodes of carrying out exemplary embodiments of the invention. Thedescription is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merelyfor the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention,since the scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.

Broadly, an embodiment of the present invention provides a removablestemware marking system that is adapted to extend along the stem of thestemware so as to be easily identifiable and enable sufficient access tohandle the stem during use. The marking system embodies a removablestemware marking apparatus and a method of using the same. The markingapparatus may include a wire frame having a linear body portionextending from an upper section to an opposing lower section. The upperportion may form an arcuate hook defining an upper loop, while the lowerportion may form a helical shape defining a lower and a base loop,wherein the loops are concentrically disposed orthogonal of the bodyportion. Each loop is adapted to securely engage the stem of a stemwareglass so that the body portion is disposed along but offset from thestem.

Referring to FIGS. 1 through 7, the present invention may include aremovable stemware marking apparatus 50 including a wire frame 10. Thewire frame 10 may be any flexible strand or rod of metal or othersuitable material, such as copper or the like. The wire frame 10 may bedimensioned and adapted to be threaded through a plurality of crimpbeads 24 and decorative beads 26, 28 and 30. The wire frame 10 mayextend from a lower end 12 to an upper end 22. Each end 12, 22 may bebent onto or toward itself so as to form a closing loop, as illustratedin the figures, for preventing the decorative beads 26, 28 and 30 fromsliding off the wire frame 10.

The wire frame 10 may provide a body portion 40 that extends from anupper transition 36 to a lower transition 38, wherein the body portion40 may be substantially linear extending along a longitudinal axis. Thetransitions 36 and 38 may include discontinuities, bends, joints and thelike along the wire frame 10. Though in some embodiments, the bodyportion 40 may have discontinuities, bends and the like. Along the bodyportion 40, between the upper transition 36 and the lower transition 38,may be at least one of the plurality of decorative beads 26, 28 and 30sandwiched between opposing crimp beads 24, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

An upper section 21 of the wire frame 10 may extend from the uppertransition 36 to the upper end 22. The upper section 21 may form aplanar arc shape that defines an upper stem loop 20, or in other wordsan arcuate hook is formed by the upper section 21, defining the upperstem loop 20. The upper section 21 may be less than a full turn, thoughin certain embodiments, the arc shape may include more than a full turnfrom the upper transition 36 to the upper end 22. The entire upper stemloop 20 may occupy a plane that is substantially orthogonal to thelongitudinal axis of the body portion 40. Along the upper section 21,between the closing loop of the upper end 22 and a crimp bead 24 may beat least one of the plurality of decorative beads 26, 28 and 30, asillustrated in FIG. 2.

A lower section 11 of the wire frame 10 may extend from the lowertransition 38 to the lower end 12. The lower section 11 may form ahelical shape that defines a lower stem loop 18 and a base stem loop 16,wherein the base stem loop 16 terminates at or near a leg joint 14. Thelower stem loop 18 may start to be defined at the lower transition 38 asthe helical shape extends downward and transitions into the base stemloop 16. The lower section 11 may be more than a full turn from thelower transition 38 to the leg joint 14, and in certain embodiments beat least one and a half turns.

The entire upper stem loop 20 may define a center that generally alignswith a center of the lower stem loop 18 and a center of the base stemloop 16, or in other words the loops 20, 18 and 16 may be concentric yetnon-coplanar. Whereby, the upper and lower transitions 36, 38 are anequal distance from the above mentioned centers. The loops 20, 18 and 16may have diameters sufficient to engage a stem 34 of a stemware glass32. The stem 34 may extend from a lower base portion to an upper cupportion, as illustrated in FIG. 1.

Between the leg joint 14 and the lower end 12 may be a leg portion.Along the leg portion, between the closing loop of the lower end 12 anda crimp bead 24 may be at least one of the plurality of decorative beads26, 28 and 30, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

A method of using the present invention may include the following. Thestemware marking apparatus 50 as disclosed and described above may beprovided. The stemware marking apparatus 50 may be urged against thestem 34 so that the base loop 16 circumscribes the stem 34 by slidingthe stem 34 therein at an open portion of the helical shape near the legjoint 14, as illustrated in FIG. 5. Then by rotating the stemwaremarking apparatus 50 about the stem 34 the lower loop 18 may engage thestem 34, as illustrated in FIG. 6. The body portion 40 may be pulledupright and approximately parallel to the stem 34. The upper loop 20 maybe maneuvered so that the arcuate hook securely engages the stem 34 nearthe upper cup portion while the helical shape securely engages near thelower base portion of the step 34, as illustrated in FIG. 1. The upperand lower sections 21 and 11 may be manipulated and/or further bentaround the stem 34 to further enable forming a secure engagementthereto.

The disposition of the body portion 40 offset from the stem 34 enables auser to hold the stem 34 properly without interference by the bodyportion 40 (and thereby not obscure the identification-aspect of thebody portion 40 during use) when consuming the beverage contained in thestemware glass 32.

In certain embodiments, the wire frame 10 may be approximately eightinches in length. However the length of the body portion 40 will beadjustable as desired by increasing or decreasing the turns in thehelical shape (upper section 21) and/or the arc shape (lower section11).

Each stemware marking apparatus 50 provides a distinctive marking systemfor distinguishing different stemware glasses 32 from each other. Suchdifferentiation may be through shape, color, size, ornamentation orindicia of the plurality of decorative beads 26, 28, 30 and/or theiroverall arrangement. The structural component of the stemware markingapparatus 50 that substantially extends vertically along the stem 34,the body portion 40, enables such distinctions to be made even when thelower base portion of the stem 34 is obscured by party paraphernalia,such as tablecloth, presents, party favors and the like. Moreover, thestemware glass 32 can be distinguished while the stem 34 is beinghandled.

Being removable, the present invention enables storage and therecommended washing temperature of glass stemware that subsequently canbe adorned with the present invention.

Moreover, the present invention may be secured to other objects fordecorative and identification purposes, such as flowers, candle sticks,silverware and the like.

It should be understood, of course, that the foregoing relates toexemplary embodiments of the invention and that modifications may bemade without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as setforth in the following claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A stemware marking apparatus adapted to securealong and substantially offset from a stem of a stemware glass,comprising: a wire frame of flexible material extending from an upperend to a lower end, wherein the wire frame further comprises: a bodyportion extending along a longitudinal axis from an upper transition toa lower transition; an upper section extending from the upper transitionto the upper end so as to be orthogonal from the longitudinal axis; anda lower section extending from the lower transition to the lower end; anupper loop defined by the upper section; and a lower loop defined by thelower section, wherein the upper loop and the lower loop are generallyconcentric.
 2. The stemware marking apparatus of claim 1, furthercomprising a base loop defined by the lower section, wherein the baseloop is concentric with the lower loop.
 3. The stemware markingapparatus of claim 2, wherein the lower loop and the base loop forms ahelical shape.
 4. The stemware marking apparatus of claim 3, wherein thehelical shape comprises at least one and a half turns from the lowertransition to a distal end of the helical shape.
 5. The stemware markingapparatus of claim 4, further comprising a leg portion joined at anangle to the distal end of the helical shape and extending to the lowerend.
 6. The stemware marking apparatus of claim 1, wherein the uppersection forms an arcuate shape.
 7. The stemware marking apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the upper and lower ends are each formed into a closingloop.
 8. The stemware marking apparatus of claim 1, further comprisingat least one decorative bead threaded onto the wire frame.
 9. Thestemware marking apparatus of claim 8, further comprising at least twocrimp beads bookending the at least one decorative bead.
 10. A stemwaremarking apparatus adapted to secure along and substantially offset froma stem of a stemware glass, comprising: a wire frame of flexiblematerial extending from an upper end to a lower end, wherein the upperand lower ends are each formed into a closing loop, and wherein the wireframe further comprises: a body portion extending along a longitudinalaxis from an upper transition to a lower transition; an upper sectionextending from the upper transition to the upper end so as to beorthogonal from the longitudinal axis; and a lower section extendingfrom the lower transition to the lower end; an upper loop defined by theupper section formed into an arcuate shape; a lower loop and a base loopdefined by the lower section, wherein the lower loop and the base loopform a helical shape having at least one and a half turns from the lowertransition to a distal end of the helical shape; a leg portion joined atan angle to the distal end of the helical shape and extending to thelower end; and at least one decorative bead threaded onto the wireframe, wherein the upper loop, the lower loop and the base loop aregenerally concentric, whereby the at least one decorative beadindentifies a user of the stemware glass.